Utah Jazz Players Win 2023 NBA All-Star Skills Challenge

SALT LAKE CITY – The players from the Utah Jazz participated in and won the Kia Skills Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend.

The Kia Skills Challenge took place during NBA All-Star Saturday Night on February 18.

Jazz players Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler, and Jordan Clarkson represented Utah in the event. The trio went up against Team Antetokounmpo and Team Rooks.

Team Antetokounmpo included Jrue Holiday and Thanasis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, as well as Alex Antetokounmpo of the NBA G League’s Wisconsin Herd. Holiday replaced an injured Giannis Antetokounmpo in the event.

Team Rooks featured first-year players Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston Rockets), Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Jaden Ivey (Detroit Pistons).

Kia Skills Challenge

Round One: Team Relay

Team @utahjazz struggled in the Skills Challenge shooting round, and trail Team Antetokounmpo heading into the passing round.

Three rounds will determine the winner! #TakeNote | #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/lpjfMDTbv1

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 19, 2023

Winner: Team Rooks

Round Two: Team Passing

The @utahjazz are up in the passing round needing to beat Team Antetokounmpo’s 84 points.

And they beat it!!!

They’ve got 88 points and are now tied for the lead in the three rounds. pic.twitter.com/04tUxsBLbS

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 19, 2023

Winner: Team Jazz

Round Three: Team Shooting

The @utahjazz only need to score 8 points to beat the Antetokounmpos and take home the Skills challenge title!

AND THEY DO IT!!!

The Jazz win with 300 points. #TakeNote | #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/yYzXllDjtM

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) February 19, 2023

Winner: Team Jazz

Kia Skills Challenge Champion: Team Jazz

Team Jazz: 300 Points

Team Rooks: 100 Points

Team Antetokounmpo: 0 Points

State Farm All-Star Saturday Night

All-Star Saturday Night is on Saturday at 6 p.m.

All-Star Saturday Night features three events. The Skills Challenge, the 3-point Contest, and the Dunk Contest.

The Skills Challenge features players, separated by positions, racing through a course that tests their ability to dribble, pass, and shoot effectively. Two Jazz players have won the event in its 20-year history, Deron Williams in 2008 and Trey Burke in 2014.

Deron Williams breaks the NBA Skills Challenge record with a time of 25.5 seconds. The old record was held by Steve Nash with 25.8 seconds. (2008) pic.twitter.com/oA8LWW7sYG

— ThrowbackHoops (@ThrowbackHoops) February 15, 2019

The 3-point Contest features the leagues best shooters competing to make as many 3-pointers as possible in one-minute. Five racks, and two extra balls set further back, are set up across the arc for the players to shoot from. One Utah Jazz player has taken home the three-point crown in the events 37-year history. Jeff Hornacek won in 1998 and in 2000.

#TBT…current @Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek won the 1998 Three-Point Contest trophy at #NBAAllStarNYC. pic.twitter.com/42dAd7bADi

— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) February 5, 2015

The Dunk Contest features the leagues high-fliers attempting to impress the fans and, more importantly, the judges with spectacular dunks. Players can use props to wear, use, or jump over for extra style points. Two Jazz players have become slam dunk champions, Donovan Mitchell in 2018 and Jeremy Evans in 2012.

Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell ) is the 2nd @UtahJazz to win the NBA Dunk Contest!

Former Jazz competitors:
Jeremy Evans (W)
Deshawn Stevenson
Jamie Watson
David Benoit
Blue Edwards
Darrell Griffith pic.twitter.com/mFbV3ik7Cc

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 18, 2018

State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will broadcast on TNT.

Kyle Ireland is a Locals in the NFL Insider for sports.ksl.com and co-host of the Yards After College Podcast. Follow him on Twitter (@kyleireland) and Instagram (@kyleirelandksl).

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